The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh announced Tuesday it is offering eligible faculty and staff a voluntary retirement buyout with a one-time payment equal to 50% of an employee's annual base salary.

UW-Oshkosh becomes the third campus within the UW System to offer buyouts in an effort to reduce its workforce in the face of state budget cuts. UW-Eau Claire was the first, followed last week by UW-Superior.

UW-Oshkosh expects about 100 employees would be eligible. It has set a goal of reducing its workforce by 80 within the next three years.(119)

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Leaders swift to react

Latino leaders didnt waste anytime gathering the troups this morning to react to the action taken late Tuesday by the State Senate Democrats in caucus that removed from the budget bill in-state college tuition for some undocumented immigrants and driver license cards for illegal immigrants.

Voces de la Frontera and others in the Latino community have been pushing hard for driver's license cards so that those who can't prove they are citizens can drive legally and safely. Under the federal REAL ID provision, proof of citizenship is required to get a state issued driver's license because it's used for identification at airports when boarding planes. The cards couldn't be good for official ID, but used only to drive.

And the in-state college tuition for some illegal immigrants has been been on the legislataive agenda for many Latino groups for several years now.

Both measures made it through the Assembly and Joint Finance. In-state tuition was also in the governor's budget. Both were also championed by State Rep Pedro Colón, (D-Milwaukee) the lone Latino in the legislature.

At the press conference at Voces offices earlier today, there was standing room with supporters that included religious, educational and community leader streaming out the door.

Christine Neumann-Ortiz, the director of Voces and others said they were outraged that the two provisons were pulled. And while most of the outrage was directed at State Sen. Tim Carpenter (D-Milwaukee), whose district is heavily Latino, other Democrats were also targeted for calls to try to get the action reversed.

The budget battle continues.

About Georgia Pabst

Georgia Pabst is a general assignment reporter whose areas of coverage include Milwaukee County government, the Latino community, non-profits and neighborhoods.